Earlier today, my author Vicky Alvear Shecter and I chatted about her novel Cleopatra's Moon on Twitter -- a fun conversation that covered how the book came to me (indirectly via SQUIDs!), the vetting process, my acquisitions interests right now, our ancient Roman names, and sundry other topics. You can read a transcript of the conversation after the jump.
We ran into one peril that I mention as a cautionary tale for future Twitter-chatterers:  I had failed to verify that #CMchat would be a unique hashtag for us, and as a result, we were repeatedly interrupted by country music fans, several of whom expressed their annoyance that we were horning in on their chat. (And to be fair, they did have the hashtag first.) I've deleted their tweets (and RTs of relevant tweets) from the conversation below. 
(I wonder, has anyone yet written a country music song about Twitter? The song titles for this chat could be "Cleopatra, Come Back to Me"; "Let's Retweet, Not Retreat"; and "You Stole My Hashtag -- and My Heart.")

Click to read the whole conversation.@chavelaque: .@valvearshecter & I will be chatting aboutCLEOPATRA'S MOON, the acquisitions process, etc. in 5 min! Follow us at #CMchatfor the moment.November 14, 2011, 5:27 pm 
@valvearshecter: I'm on...is there another #CMchat? What'stheirs?n #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:29 pm              @chavelaque: Well, theirs is a Country Music chat. Want tochange to #CLEOchat for clarity? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:29 pm 
@chavelaque: Anyone who doesn't want to be part of theconversation may want to unfollow me for the next hour. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:30 pm 
@chavelaque: @valvearshecter Well, we're here, so let's dothis now. Country music fans, you can all blame me. Or you can read CLEOPATRA'SMOON! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:31 pm 
@valvearshecter: I suggest the latter! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:32 pm              @dulemba: Read it - love it! :) e #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:32 pm              @valvearshecter: Thanks, e! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:33 pm 
@dulemba: I'm also listening to the audio in my car. Don'tneed air conditioning - it gives me chills!! :) #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:33 pm 
@chavelaque: So just to get started here: I'm Cheryl Klein,& I edited the lovely CLEOPATRA'S MOON by Vicky Alvear Shecter(@valvearshecter) #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:33 pm 
@valvearshecter: And I'm Vicky Shecter, author ofCleopatra's Moon. This is my first twitter chat--are there any rules orsomesuch we should discuss? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:34 pm 
@chavelaque: If you all have any questions for Vicky or me,feel free to ask them during the chat, & we'll answer them starting ~ 1:15.#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:34 pm              @dulemba: That must have been a fun job! (editingCLEOPATRA'S MOON). #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:35 pm              @valvearshecter: It was fun but also slightly terrifying forme, esp. since this was my first novel.n #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:37 pm              @chavelaque: It was VERY fun for me to edit & to work w/Vicky, who was SO enthusiastic... We first got in touch via query letter,right, Vicky? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:38 pm              @dulemba: Cheryl, Did CLEO coincide with your book SecondSite? I'm trying to recall which came first. Did one influence the other?#cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:39 pm 
@valvearshecter: Yes, I had queried you for my midgrade biographyof Cleo...after it got acquired you sent a ltr saying you were interested.n#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:40 pm 
@LauriCorkum: Was the book nearly perfect when you firstsubmitted it? How much rewriting/revising was required? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:40 pm 
@valvearshecter: Which gave me the chance to tell you aboutthe novel in progress. So I kind o came in thru a side door. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:40 pm 
@chavelaque: I remember really liking the ENERGY of your bioof Cleopatra, & I thought Cleo was awesome, obvs. But we don't do a lot ofnonfic. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:41 pm 
@valvearshecter: @LauriCorkum It was finished, but nowherenear perfect! I did a fair amount of rewriting. Okay, a lot more than a fairamt. ;-) #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:41 pm              @chavelaque: ("We" being "Arthur A. LevineBooks.") So I was excited to hear about a novel with this untold story ofCleopatra Selene. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:42 pm 
@sally_apokedak: Vicky Alvear Shecter and Cheryl Klein arediscussing CLEOPATRA'S MOON right now at #cmchat.November 14, 2011, 5:42 pm              @chavelaque: So I responded that I'd love to see the novel,and then your agent @cmiller-callihan sent it to me -- six months later? Ayear? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:42 pm              @valvearshecter: I queried you w/ your Squib (or Squid?)account. Do you still use that? Also it took about 6 months to get it to you.#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:43 pm              @LauriCorkum: Vicky, did Cheryl guide the direction of therevisions? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:45 pm 
@chavelaque: Most of my unsolicited subs come through confsthese days, so I don't use SQUIDs anymore, no. Kind of sad, really! They werefun. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:45 pm 
@dulemba: I love how REAL the religion feels when readingCLEO. You get a true sense of their belief system at the time. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:45 pm              @valvearshecter: @LauriCorkum Yes, Cheryl def guided thedirection of the revisions. But always with a discussion and collaborativeintent. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:46 pm 
@valvearshecter: @dulemba The ancient Egyptians wouldn'thave seen "religion" as something separate. It was REALITY, esp withpharaoh as divine. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:47 pm              @chavelaque: I bought the ms. at auction, which was v.exciting. Scholastic really got behind the book. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:47 pm              @dulemba: RT @chavelaque: I bought the ms. at auction, whichwas v. exciting. Scholastic really got behind the book. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:48 pm              @valvearshecter: What set the book apart for you, Cheryl? Orany book, really. What grabs you and motivates you to go for a manuscript?#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:48 pm 
@dulemba: Cheryl, was there an element of the story thatespecially spoke to you? #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:48 pm              @cathychall: @valvearshecter and @chavelaque discussingCLEOPATRA'S MOON at #CMCHAT now. Read and learn!November 14, 2011, 5:49 pm              @chavelaque: CLEOPATRA'S MOON had a lot of the qualities Ilook for: 1) Awesome story that I hadn't heard before (all the cooler b/c itwas TRUE) #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:50 pm 
@chavelaque: 2) Great characters (again, awesome b/c true)3) Cinematic, you-are-there writing w/ wonderful scenes so I felt emotionallyinvolved #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:51 pm              @chavelaque: & 4) a BIG IDEA at its heart, so it wasmore than just a retelling of history or a romance -- it was a real explorationof an idea #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:52 pm              @valvearshecter: Cheryl, do you think there is more interestin YA historical fiction these days? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:52 pm              @dulemba: Truly, the setting of CLEOPATRA'S MOON was EPIC! Ifelt like I was THERE. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:52 pm            @cathychall: I loved the mother-daughter dynamic ofCLEOPATRA'S MOON. Did it start out that way @valvearshecter ? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:52 pm              @chavelaque: In this case, what is free will, and how muchdo we control our own destinies? Big Ideas explored well always get me excited.#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:53 pm 
@valvearshecter: @cathychall Cathy, absolutely! Themother-daughter thing is what attracted me to the story. I mean, Cleo as"Mom?" It blew me away. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:53 pm              @dulemba: And of course the issue of Free Will was soprominent. Was Selene fated to follow her Mom's path, or choose her own?#cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:53 pm              @dulemba: So often during the story I said "You GOgirl!" I LOVE Selene's strength. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:54 pm              @chavelaque: Vicky, I think there's def. interest in it, thothere may be fatigue w/ individual periods -- harder to sell topics covered alot #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:55 pm 
@sally_apokedak: Vicky, you had Scholastic, Arthur Levinebooks, even, bidding on your book at auction? Did you talk to all biddersbefore deciding? #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:55 pm              @chavelaque: Vicky, as you wrote the book, what was yourbenchmark for deciding what to include & what to leave out? What guided youthere? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:56 pm              @valvearshecter: @sally_apokedak Yes. I talked to the othereditor. I wanted a collaborative rela' w/ an ed.; The other one didn't think itneeded... #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:57 pm              @chavelaque: @dulemba You asked about timing of CM vs. 2NDSIGHT -- I think I bought Vicky's book about a month before I announced my own.#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:57 pm 
@valvearshecter: @sally_apokedak ...much editing and I KNEWbetter! LOL Plus, I mean, c'mon--who can resist working with Cheryl Klein?#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:58 pm              @cathychall: CLEOPATRA'S MOON required a lot of vetting.Were you involved in any of that as an editor, @chavelaque? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:58 pm 
@dulemba: I learned so much from 2ND SIGHT, I would haveloved that by my side while working on revisions if I were Vicky! #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:58 pm              @valvearshecter: Re: what I left out--there were severalreal charac's in history that just confused things. For ex, ANOTHER son of Antony's by prior #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:59 pm              @valvearshecter: ...wife. Actually two sons. It just got tooconfusing with so many of his kids (Antonywas a busy guy). #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:59 pm              @sally_apokedak: I also think that dealing with suicide istimely today. I liked what Selene chose with her free will. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 5:59 pm              @sally_apokedak: @valvearshecter ha ha good choice #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:00 pm              @valvearshecter: @sally_apokedak Well, you can't escape thefact that both her parents--Cleopatra & Mark Antony committed suicide. Poorkids! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:01 pm              @dulemba: Truly, she must have been old beyond her yearswith all the loss she experienced. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:01 pm 
@chavelaque: Vicky, how did you decide what to invent? Forinstance, Cleopatra Selene's visit to the Jewish quarter obvs. aren't in his.record. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:02 pm              @dulemba: I wish you could all get a guided tour through theCarlos Museum with Vicky as Docent. The storiesshe tells are amazing! #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:03 pm 
@valvearshecter: On inventing: It struck me that this tookplace a generation and a half before the beginning of Christianity. Free willwould soon.. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:03 pm 
@sally_apokedak: @valvearshecter Yes, I liked the way youdealt with it. That she could make her own choices. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:03 pm              @valvearshecter: ..take hold thruout the West. It made senseto have her grapple with it around the time of the birth of Christianity.#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:04 pm              @valvearshecter: @dulemba Thank you, e! The ancient world isso funny and strange. Also holds up a mirror to our time. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:05 pm              @chavelaque: Vicky, what advice would you have for otherauthors of historical fiction? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:05 pm              @valvearshecter: I would focus on finding the emotionalpoint that readers TODAY could relate to rather just on facts (You, Cheryl,helped me w/that! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:07 pm              @dulemba: They didn't Have hashtags back then, butsentiments weren't so different! What would have happened to Cleopatra's rep ontwitter? #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:07 pm              @valvearshecter: Re: the question of vetting--4Egyptologists/professors vetted the Cleo biography, which is the platform forthe novel. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:07 pm 
@sally_apokedak: @dulemba ha #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:08 pm  
@valvearshecter: @dulemba Oh, Cleo's rep on Twitter would havebeen awful--esp if the Romans controlled it! Can you say, "FlameWar?" ;-) #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:08 pm              @valvearshecter: Cheryl, are you looking for anything inparticular these days in submissions? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:09 pm 
@chavelaque: @valvearshecter @dulemba That was one of thecoolest things re: the book for me -- learning how the Romans ruled history'stelling #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:09 pm 
@cathychall: @dulemba HA! Yeah, Vicky, tell us about thatCleopatra smear campaign. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:10 pm              @chavelaque: Vicky is very, very passionate about thesubject of the biased Romans and how much they hated strong women, esp.Cleopatra! :-) #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:10 pm 
@chavelaque: Which is great. LOVE an author with bothpassion & knowledge, & the ability to tame both for his/her fiction.#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:10 pm              @RhodeSoft: @valvearshecter Did you have to pay for vettingor does the publisher pay? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:10 pm 
@dulemba: "History is defined by the winners" -which is why Cleopatra Selene's story needed telling! #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:11 pm              @valvearshecter: @cathychall Smear campaign was amazing.Octavian claimed Cleo drugged Antonyand sexually enslaved him. He'd lost his "manhood" etc. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:11 pm 
@Scholastic: Editor @chavelaque is hosting a chat withauthor @valvearshecter -- follow #CMchat to participate! #yalitchat#cleopatrasmoonNovember 14, 2011, 6:11 pm 
@valvearshecter: @RhodeSoft No I did not pay for the vetting.One classicist from Yale wanted payment but the British Egyptologists jumped inhappily #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:12 pm 
@chavelaque: I'm looking for the same things I always lookfor -- the 1-2-3-4 qualities listed earlier about characters, writing, &big ideas. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:13 pm 
@dulemba: The irony being, strong women still face uphillbattles in today's society. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:13 pm              @chavelaque: Also, I tend to say, "A plot we cansell" -- a story whose conflict/mystery/lack has clear stakes &meaning for readers. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:14 pm              @valvearshecter: @chavelaque So as long as the manuscriptcovers those qualities, it doesn't matter what genre? Fantasy? Paranormal,etc.? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:14 pm              @chavelaque: Agewise, I have a lot of YA on upcoming lists,so I'd love some more great middle-grade. I <3 all genres, pretty much.#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:15 pm              @cathychall: @valvearshecter Do you think that's typical?Not having to pay for vetting, I mean? Or are Egyptologists just really nice?;-) #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:15 pm              @valvearshecter: @cathychall Depends on indi's involved. Biopub told me they often go to British experts cuz they don't expect $ likeAmericans #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:17 pm              @valvearshecter: Cheryl, what are you reading for pleasureright now? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:18 pm  ReplyRetweet
@chavelaque: I just finished THE LAST LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPEby @maureenjohnson, which I loved -- she writes such good & complexteen-girl books. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:19 pm 
@dulemba: Vicky - What are You reading? Don't you read agazillion books a year? #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:19 pm 
@sally_apokedak: @valvearshecter I was also interestedbecause the story took place just before the time of Christ. You painted theworld so well. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:20 pm 
@chavelaque: I once heard "literary depth" definedas "a sense of the complexity of reality," & I'd say that'sanother thing I look for in mss. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:20 pm  
@LaFabuliste: @chavelaque You told me once "People reada book for plot, people LOVE a book for its characters." That, I think, ismost wise. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:20 pm              @valvearshecter: Right now I'm reading THE PERICLESCOMMISSION by Gary Corby. Fun, fun historical fic set at dawn of democracy inancient Greece#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:20 pm 
@cathychall: @valvearshecter Would CM have been a differentbook with a different editor? Wondering about editors' style of well,editing...#cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:20 pm 
@chavelaque: & @maureenjohnson always has that, for allher books are packaged to look like chicklit (understandably, from a pubperspective). #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:21 pm              @RhodeSoft: @valvearshecter @chavelaque Cheryl-How should wepitch to u? Email/snail mail? Whole manuscript? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:21 pm              @valvearshecter: @cathychall Absolutely. Cheryl reallyhelped shape the book with me. It was an awesome process. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:21 pm 
@chavelaque: @RhodeSoft My submissions guidelines are athttp://t.co/d43xmzIN, though I'm officially closed right now. So much to read!#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:22 pm 
@valvearshecter: @chavelaque @maureenjohnson I love herbooks too. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:22 pm  ReplyRetweet             @chavelaque: @cathychall I'm very big on characters DOINGthings & action plot matching emotional plot, so I tend to push my authorstoward that #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:23 pm 
@dulemba: Cheryl, Can you turn off the 'editor' and justread for fun? #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:23 pm 
@chavelaque: @cathychall (Not to say other editors don't!)#CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:23 pm 
@chavelaque: We're signing off in five minutes, CLEOPATRA'SMOON fans -- any last-minute questions? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:24 pm  
@valvearshecter: There are lots of wild Egyptianfacts:Pharoah Pepi 1 had slaves dipped in honey so the flies would leave himalone & go after them! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:24 pm 
@valvearshecter: Just had to slip a weird fact in! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:25 pm              @dulemba: Buy the book and share it with your mom/daughterbook clubs - it is perfect! #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:25 pm            @chavelaque: @dulemba Oh yes! Love reading for fun. But Iwill put books down if they're not satisfying my editorial standards. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:25 pm              @valvearshecter: @chavelaque How often does that happen withpubbed books? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:26 pm              @chavelaque: Vicky, given that Romans named their daughtersafter their dads, no matter what -- what would your Roman name be? :-) #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:26 pm 
@cathychall: @chavelaque That match-up is what makesCLEOPATRA'S MOON so strong. Vicky nailed that! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:27 pm              @valvearshecter: My Roman name would end up as Ernesta orErnestina! Ack. What would your Roman name be?n #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:27 pm              @chavelaque: @valvearshecter Hrmm. . . . About once every3-4 books? #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:28 pm              @chavelaque: @valvearshecter That's hilarious. I'd be Alanathe Elder -- my little sister Alana the Younger. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:28 pm 
@chavelaque: @cathychall Couldn't agree more! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:29 pm 
@cathychall: @valvearshecter That is why I love you onFacebook--among other wonderful qualities. But yeah, the weird facts areawesome. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:29 pm              @dulemba: You don't even want to know what mine would be.Some weird Roman/Bavarian thing with too many syllables. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:29 pm 
@valvearshecter: @cathychall Thanks, there's a never endingsupply of weird ancient facts! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:30 pm 
@dulemba: I adore History with a Twist athttp://t.co/Jyj1q7EC - Vicky talks about more weird facts. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:30 pm              @valvearshecter: Oh yeah..I would be Ernestina the Younger.Forgot that all sisters carried the father's name (sigh). #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:31 pm              @LauriCorkum: Great chat Vicky and Cheryl! Quiteinformative; thanks for taking the time out of your day to answer ourquestions. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:31 pm 
@dulemba: And her Friday Funnies are always hilarious!http://t.co/Jyj1q7EC #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:31 pm  ReplyRetweet
@chavelaque: It's 1:30 here, so it's time for@valvearshecter & I to sign off. Ditto @dulemba's praise for Vicky's blog:http://t.co/GpuRcxK3 #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:31 pm 
@valvearshecter: @dulemba Thanks! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:31 pm 
@chavelaque: Thanks very much for stopping by, all! &thanks again for your forbearance, country music fans. #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:32 pm              @dulemba: Thanks to the CMchat community for your patience!Back to your regularly scheduled programming... #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:32 pm              @cathychall: Thanks, @valvearshecter and @chavelaque I canalways use a little Egyptfun during lunch! #cmchat bye!November 14, 2011, 6:32 pm 
@sally_apokedak: Yes, thanks both of you. I don't gettwitter, but this was pretty cool. #cmchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:33 pm 
@valvearshecter: Thank you Cheryl Klein. And thanks all whodropped in. And to the CMchat folks, thanks for your patience/won't happenagain! #CMchatNovember 14, 2011, 6:33 pm 
Copyright 2011 TweetReports